Detecting the presence of orjects in shoes



Sept. s, 1925.

B. S. LESLIE DETECTING THE PRESENCE .OF OBJECTS IN SHOES Filed Sept. 25, 1919 Patented Sept. 8, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BERNARD S. LESLIE, OF MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED SHOE HA- CHINERY CORPORATION, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

DETECTIN' G THE PRESENCE OF OBJECTS IN SHOE.

Application filed September 25, 1919. Serial No. 326,183.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, BERNARD S. LESLIE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Milton, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Detecting the Presence of Objects in Shoes, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like reference characters on the drawings indicating like parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to an improved method and apparatus for detecting the presence of objects in shoes and is particularly designed for the detection of tacks or the like. In the manufacture of shoes, an insole is first tacked to the bottom of a last.

, Then an upper is assembled over the last and is secured in lasted relation by the in- 0 sertion of a number of tacks which pass through the margin of the upper and the insole into the last. In the manufacture of well; shoes, the lasting tacks are withdrawn after the upper has set to the last, and the 2 upper is retained in position by a less number of anchor tacks or by staples driven through the margin of the upper and the rib of the insole. The insole tacks and anchor tacks are also withdrawn prior to the attachment of the outsole to'the shoe.

The insole tacks are generally driven with their heads flush with the surface of the insole, and it frequently happens that their heads are broken off by the tack pulling machine or implement below the surface of the insole so that the portion of the tack left in the insole is not easily discoverable by the operator. Moreover, it sometimes happens that some of the-lasting tacks or anchor tacks are not withdrawn, for example, by reason of a tack being bent or broken, so that the jaw of the tack pulling machine does not engage it firmly enough to withdraw it. When a tack or a portion of a broken tack is left in a shoe, its point is likely to project through the insole so as to cause serious injury or annoyance to the wearer.

Devices have been heretofore proposed for facilitating the detection of tacks or broken portions of tacks which project through the insole of a shoe, for example, by the provision of means for illuminating the inthe device slow and irksome, and do not enable the entire interior of the shoe, particularly the tip of the toe, to be thoroughly examined.

An object of the invention is to enable an operator with quickness and ease invariably to detect the presence of an object such as a tack or the like in a shoe. To this end, I utilize an X-ray machine in the field of whose rays the shoe is presented. By this means not only can the presence of a tack in a finished shoe be readily detected, but aportion of a tack'embedded in the insole may be' discovered previous'tothe attachment of the outsole to the shoe and while the shoe is still on the last. At this point in the making of a shoe, it is possible to remove a,

tack or a portion of a broken tack altogether, whereas if a tack is discovered after a shoe is finished it is practicable only to cut off the point of the tack if it projects into the shoe. In the illustrated construction, the frame for supporting the X-ray machine has disposed thereon a casing adapted to receive a shoe in the field of the X- rays and preferably provided with an eyepiece for facilitating the examination of the shoe.

An important feature of the invention resides in the provision of means for detecting the presence of an object such as a tack or the like, in a shoe and means for automatically presenting a shoe to the detecting means. 'With this construction, the manual work required in the use of the machine is reduced to a minimum, inasmuch as the operator has only to introduce a shoe to and withdraw it from the presenting means.

In order to enable the operator to determine whether the point of a tack or the like projects through the insole of a shoe, and also to ascertain if a tack is disposed in some other part of a shoe than the sole, for example. as sometimes happens, in the upper of a shoe, the presenting means is operated to manipulate the shoe in the. field of the X-rays. As shown, the shoe is turned about its longitudinal axis after being presented in operative relation to the X-ray machine. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the shoe presenting means comprises devices for clamping the shoe'at the heel and at the back of the shoe and means for moving said devices endwise to position the shoe inoperative relation to the detecting means and for turning them.

In order to facilitate the operation of the apparatus, the presenting means is so controlled as to insure the complete operation of said means to present the shoe to the X- ray machine andto manipulate it in the field of the X-rays when the operation of said means has been once initiated and to discontinue the operation of said means after the completion of a cycle of its operation.

Although the invention will be set forth as particularly designed for the detection of tacks or the like in welt shoes, it is recognized that it is not limited to such use but that it can be utilized also in other ways,

some of which will be hereinafter referred Other objects and features of the invention will be apparent as the description proceeds and will be pointed out in. the appended claims.

In the drawings;

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of an apparatus according to the invention, part of the supplementary casing which receives the shoes to be operated upon being broken away to reveal a shoe located therein;

Fig. 2 is a broken view in side elevation of the supplementary casing looking from the right in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view, partly in section, of the clamping devices by which'a shoe is presented in the field "of the X-rays; and

Fig. 4 is a view of the mechanism where? [by the clamping devices areirotated, taken along the line 44 of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

In the illustrative construction, an X-ray machine comprising the usual tube 2 is enclosed in a casing 4 preferably lined with lead to prevent injury'to the operator by the,

escape of X-rays from the casing. The X- ray tube 2 is supported by members 6 and 8 depending from the top of the casing and formed with split bearings comprising fixed portions 10 and movable portions 12 operable to clamp the tube agalnst the fixed por tions by means of thumb screws having milled heads 14. The usual devices 16 are provided for radiating heat from the X-ray tube 2, and the wiring connections to the tube comprise the usual transformers 20 and the resistance coil 22. The X-ray machine is aknown article of commerce and constitutes the operator from the per so no part of the present invention, for

which reason further description thereof tate the inspection of the shoe by the operator, the supplementary casing 24 is provided with an-eye-piece 26 and interposed between the shoe and the eye-piece 26 is a screen 28 adapted to be rendered fluorescent under the action of the X-rays. The screen 28 may be composed of a sheet of paper coated with crystals of calcium tungstate. Mounted in the casing 24 abovesaid screen and preferably having the screen 28 attached thereto, as by paste or otherwise, is a plate 30 of lead glasswhich serves to 'prevent.passage of the X-rays to the eye-piece 26, thus obviating the danger of ing'pry to the eyes of '-rays. In order, further, to insure the operator against injury from the X-rays, the arrangement of the eye-piece 26 relatively. to the casing 24 is such that the eyes of the operator are not in the path of the X-rays, the fluorescence of thescreen 28 under the action of the X- .rays being reflected to the eye-piece by a mirror 32 secured to the inclined rear wall 34 of the supplementary casing-24. The reflection of the fluorescence of the screen 28 vto the operator constitutes anadded protection to him against the X-rays, since such rays cannot ordinarily be reflected. If still more protection is desired, an additional plate of lead glass (not shown) similar to the plate 30 may be disposed at the base of the eye-piece 26. Preferably, and as shown, a thin aluminum plate 35 is provided at the top of the casing 4, serving to remove useless rays of low penetrating power and to prevent the fall of shoes into the casing 4. The casing 24 may be made of wood or sheet metal and is referablyf-lined'orplated with lead, particu arly at the front of the casing, so as to preclude all possibility of injury to the operator. The casing 24 is fully enclosed except at the eye-piece 26 and at the right hand side of the casing, as

seen in Fig. 1, where an opening is provided large enough to permit a shoe to be intro duced endwise into the casing.

The X-ray tube 2 and casing 24 arc so disposed with relation to each other that all portions of a shoe in the casing are brought under the action of the X-rays. An object, such, for instance, as a lasting tack, through which the X-rays do not pass readily will cause the appearance of a dark spot of corresponding form on the screen 28, and the leather of a shoe although much more readily penetrated by the X-rays than a tack will still present sur'i'cient obstruction to the passage of the X-rays to render the outlines of .the shoe clearly evident. Consequently, the

relative disposition of a tack or the like in a shoe is easily determined.

Manifestly, shoes may, if desired, be presented in the field of the X-rays manually without departing from the principles of the invention. However, in accordance with certain features of the invention, means are provided for automatically presenting a shoe in the field of the X-rays, and, in the illustrated embodiment of the invention, such means comprises clamping devices consisting of a member 36 designed for engagement with the back of a shoe in the crease formed between the upper and the heel-seat portion of the outsole of the shoe and members 38 adapted to extend along the sides of the heel of a shoe and having inwardly extending portions 40 disposed for engagement with the breast face of the heel. The members .36 and 38 are carried by a bar 42 v v on which they are made relatively movable in order to permit the introduction of a shoe to the presenting means. As shown,

this is accomplished by providing the member 36 with a boss 44 disposed laterally of said member and slidably'received in a'bore 46 of the bar 42. The member 36 is normally urged into clamping engagement with the shoe by means of a spring 48 seated in the bore 46 of the bar 42 and, when it is desired to introduce a shoe in or to withdraw it from I the presenting means the clamping member 36 is moved against the resistance of the spring 48 by means of a pinion 50 meshing with a rack 52 on said member and operable by a milled wheel 54. The clamping members 36 and 38 are so disposed as to support a shoe in spaced relation to the floor 35 of the casing 24. The bar 42' is operated to convey a shoe into and out of the field of the X-rays by mechanism including a link 56 rotatably secured to the bar 42 at one end and at its other end jointed to the long arm 58 of a bell crank lever, the short arm 60 of which is connected by a link 62 with a bell crank lever 64 fulcrumed at 66011 a head 68 carried by a standard 7 O. The lever 64 is operated by means of a cam 72 having a peripheral cam groove 74which receives a roll on the lever 64. The cam 72 is mounted on a shaft 75 rotatable in suitable bearings in the head 68. In carrying out my improved method for detecting the presence of tacks or the like in shoes, a shoe after being presented in the field of the X- rays either manually or by automatic means is manipulated in such a manner as to enable the operator to ascertain the relative disposition of a tack in the shoe, for example, whether the point of the tack projects through the insole of the shoe. It sometimes happens, as has been learned by actual use of an apparatus according to this invention, that a tack becomes embedded in the upper of a shoe. Manipulation of the shoe in accordance with the present invention enables the operator in such a case to ascertain that the'tack is located in the upper rather than in the sole of the shoe. Preferably, the relative disposition of a tack or the like in a shoe is rendered apparent by turning the shoe about its longitudinal axis,

or, in other words, about the longitudinal .sleeve 76 will effect analogous rotation of the bar 42, whereas the bar 42 may be moved endwise in the sleeve. Rotation of the sleeve 76 is preferably effected by means of an arm 80 projecting laterally from the sleeve and connected by a link 82 to a lever- 84 fulcrumed at 86 on the head 68 and having a roll adapted to ride in a groove 88 in the face of the cam 72. The operation of the shaft 75 and consequently of the cam 72 to actuate the clamping devices 36 and 38 to present a shoe in the field of the X- rays and to manipulate'the-shoe is governed by a clutch 90 which is in turn controlled by a three-armed lever 92 having connected thereto a rod 96 adapted to be operated by a treadle (not shown).

To the end'that the apparatus may be operated with a minimum of attention and effort on the part of the operator, means are provided for insuring the presentation of a shoe in the field of the X-rays and the proper manipulation of the shoe in the field of the X-rays when the operation of the apparatus is once initiated and to discontinue the operation of said means after the completion of a single cycle of its operation. Preferably, and in the illustrated construction, said means comprises a latch 98 fulcrumed at 100 on the bell crank lever 64 and counter-weighted at one end, as indicated at 104, to .maintain the shouldered portion 106 of "the latch normally in the position shown in Fig. 1 seas to engage the spring 110vsecured at one end to the arm 102 of the lever 92 and at its other end to the standard 70' serves to disengage the clutch 90 after the release of the arm 102 by the 1 portion B--A of the cam groove 88.

latch 98 in case the operator has meanwhile removed his 'foot from the treadle which actuates the rod 96.

The machine is stopped with the roll of the bell crank lever 64 at the point Y of the cam groove 74 of the cam 72, and with the roll of the lever 84 midway of the neutral Upon the initiation of the operation of the machine, the cam 72 is rotated in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 1, in consequence of which the inclined portion YZ of the cam groove 74 operates the lever 64 in a direction to cause the clamping devices 36 and 38 to convey a shoe int the supplementary casing 24. Such movement of the .lever 64 carries the shouldered end 106 of the latch 98 into engagement with the arm 102 of lever 92 so as to retain the lever, 92 in position to close the clutch 90. During the movement of the shoe into the casing 24, the roll of the lever 84 rides in the neutral por tion BA of the cam slot 88 so that no turning movement of the shoe is effected.

When the roll of the bell crank 64 reaches .of substantially 90 so that the sole of the shoe is disposed in a substantially vertical plane. Further rotation of the cam 72 carries the depressed portion C-D of the groove 88 into engagement with the lever 84 thereby turning the shoe toward the front of the machine, as seen in Fig. 1, substantially through an angle of 180 from its former position. As the cam 72 continues to rotate the shoe is restored to upright position as shown in Fig. 1 by the engagement of the raisedportion l5B of the groove '88 with the roll of. the lever 84, at which time the roll of the bell crank 64 will be lo-' cated at the point X of the cam'groove 74, the portion Z-X of the cam groove 74 being neutral so that no lengthwise movement of the bar '42 is effected during the turning of v the bar. Upon further operation of the cam 7 2, the lever 84 rides in the neutral porw tion BA of-the cam so that the bar 42 is 64 travels from the maintained against rotation, and the roll of thelever64 rides in the portion X-Y of the cam groove 74 which actuates the lever 64 to convey the .shoe out of the supple mentary casing 24. As the roll of the lever point X tothe point Y of the cam slot 74," the latch 98, which is normally operative --to maintain the' clutch closedbr, in other words, in position to .an lating a shoe to present the shoe in different cause the operation of the cam 72, is lowered. thereby bringing the counter-weighted end 104 of the latch into engagement with the screw 108 which turns the latch 98 about its scribed with particular reference to its use in the. detection of tacks or the like in a welt shoe, it will be manifest that it may have other uses, for example, when the sole of a shoe is attached by means of metallic fastenings extending all the way around the edge of the shoe, itmay be desirable to ascertain the arrangement of such fastenings,

or in the case of loose nails, for instance, it

may be useful to determine the manner in which the points of the nails are clenched. Manifestly, this may readily be accomplished by the use of an apparatus according to this invention. Moreover, by disposing the casings 4 and 24 so as to facilitate the introduction of the wearers foot into the casing 24, the invention may be utilized in the fitting of shoes, inasmuch as it will render apparent the disposition of the bones of the foot relatively to the contour of the shoe.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim asnew and desire to'secure by Let ters Patent of the United States. is

1. In an apparatus of the class described, an X-ray machine, a, casing adapted to receive a shoe in the-field of the X-rays, means for holding and moving a shoe into the easing', and means for visually utilizing the X-rays to determine the location of metallic objects in the shoe structure.

2. In an apparatus of the class described,-

means for detecting the presence of an 0bigct, such as a tack, in a shoe comprising an 4 -ray machine, and power operated means for moving a shoe 'into and retracting it from the field of the X-rays.

3. In an apparatus of the class described,

means for detecting the presence of an ob-" ject such as a tack, in a shoe comprising -ray machine, and means for manipuplanes in the field of the X-rays to enable the operator to ascertain visually the disposition of a tack in the shoe relatively to the shoe structure. 7

4. In an apparatus of the class described, means for detecting the presence of an 0b ject, such as a tack, in a shoe comprising an X-ray machine, means for moving a shoe into and out of the field of the X-rays, and means for turning the shoe while in position to be acted upon by the X-rays.

5. In an apparatus of the class described, means for detecting the presence of an object, such as a tack, in a shoe comprising an X-ray machine, means for moving a shoe into and out of the field of the X-rays, and means for turning the shoe about its longitudinal axis while in position to be acted upon by the X-rays.

.6. In an apparatus of the class described, means for detecting the presence of an obglct, such as a tack, in a shoe comprising an -ray machine, means for manipulating the shoe in the field of the X-rays, and a casing for receiving the shoe and provided with an eye-piece to facilitate examination of the s 0e.

7. In an apparatus of the class described, means for detecting the presence of an object, such as a tack, in a shoe comprising an X-ray machine, means for clamping a shoe, and means for operating the clamping means to present the shoe in different relations to the X-ray machine.

8. In an apparatus of the class described, means for detecting the presence of an object, such as a tack, in a shoe comprising an X-ray machine, clamping means constructed for engagement with the heel of a shoe, and means for turning the clamping means to present the shoe in difi'erent relations to th X-ray machine.

9. In an apparatus of the class described, means for detecting the presence of an object, such as a tack, in a shoe comprising an X-ray machine, means for clamping the heel of a shoe including members disposed along the sides of the heel and having portions projecting toward each other for engagement with the breast edge of the heel and means for engaging the rear part of the shoe to press the heel against said members, and means for effecting angular movement of the clamping means to turn the shoe about its longitudinal axis to present it in different relations to the X-ray machine.

10. In an apparatus of the class described, means for detecting the presence of an object, such as a tack in a shoe comprising an X-ray machine, and means for presenting a shoe to the Xraymachine including relatively movable clamping members constructed and arranged for engagement with the back of the shoe and. the breast edge of the shoe heel.

11. In an apparatus of the class described, means for detecting the presence of an object, such as a tack, in a shoe comprising an X-ray machine, and means for presenting a shoe to the X-ray machine including members dis osed for engagement with the breast edge of the heel and the back of the shoe and means for yieldingly urging cer-. tain of said members into gripping engagement with the shoe.

12. In an apparatus of the-class de-- scribed, means for detecting the presence of an object, such as a tack, in a shoe comprising an X-ray machine, and means for presenting a shoe to the X-ray machine in cluding members disposed for engagement with the breast edge of the shoe heel and the back of the shoe, means for yieldingly urging certain of said members into gr1pping engagement with the shoe and means for moving said yielding member away from other of said members to permit the introduction of the shoe to the presenting means.

13. In an apparatus of the class described, means for detecting the presence of an object, such as a tack, in a shoe and means for manipulating a shoe relatively to the detect ing means in a plurality of planes.

14. In an apparatus of the class described, an X-ray machine, means for supporting a shoe in the path of the X-rays, and poweroperated means for turning the shoe in a plane transverse to the longitudinal axis of the shoe.

15.- The methodof detecting the presence and relative disposition of an object, such as a tack, in a shoe which comprises exposing the shoe to the rays from an X-ray machine and then manipulating the shoe so as to present it in different angular relations tothe X-ray machine.

and relative disposition of a foreign object, such as a tack, in a shoe which comprises exposing the shoe to the rays from an Xsray machine, and turning the shoe about its longitudinal axis while so exposed.

17. An apparatus for detecting the presence of misplaced metallic fastemngs 111 shoes comprising a frame, an X-ray machine carried by the frame, and means carried by the frame for manipulating a shoe alternately in two directions substantially at right angles to each other to present the shoe in the field of the X-ray and in diiferent angular relations thereto.

18. A machine for detecting misplaced metallic fastenings in shoes comprising a frame, an X-ray machine carried by the frame, a cam mounted on the frame, and means operated by said cam for manipulating a shoe alternately in two directions substantially at right angles to each other to present the shoe in the field of the X-ray in different angular relations thereto.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

BERNARD s. LESLIE.

16. The method of detecting the presence 

